


Past, Present and Future

by Salmaka



Category: The Technomancer (Video Game)
Genre: #LetOrionSmileMore, 5k Words in One Day, Background Dandolo | Merchant Prince/Melvin Mancer, Background Relationships, Friendship, Gen, It's just me screaming about Orion, Noctian Culture, Post-Canon, Salmaka's Expanded Universe, Self-Indulgent, Usage of Head Canon(s), noctis - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-16 23:10:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19328005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salmaka/pseuds/Salmaka
Summary: The day shift works in its fullest. Every worker has their own sandsail to work on, as usual, and they help out their colleague if needed. And in the middle of this well oil-machine walks Orion followed by a group of people. He would normally be sleeping by this time of the day but today is how it seems really special enough to change his regime.





	Past, Present and Future

**Author's Note:**

> This story is over five years post-canon.
> 
> There are few lines in different languages, you can find translations in the End Notes or when you hover a mouse over it. (btw I used Google translator and sorry if the translation is rubbish x))

The Bat-cave is full of both people and sandsails. Even more so than normally.

The main space is filled with the ‘sails having the same mark decorating their hull indicating they are part of the same caravan.

Caravan’s leading pilot flew their ‘sail right into the crater and the rest of the pilots blindly followed. Some cargo was lost, and three people got injured. They were lucky it happened not far from Noctis. One of the pilots with their sandsail intact went for help and so the group got home before the worst of the heat hit.

The caravan got a proper welcoming from the Chief Mechanic upon their arrival. Orion was already waiting for them at the Docks, his hands crossed over his chest and leg tapping on the metal grid. The half of Noctis heard the stream of swear words in various languages aimed at the leading pilot. Doesn’t matter her arm was in the sling and her head was bandaged – anybody damaging ‘sails stupidly needs to count on Orion’s stern look for at least a week. And that only if you are lucky because being publicly yelled at by Orion is as good as being dead.

This many sandsails taking up space and in need of the quick repair is the reason why the workshop is filled with the workers. The day shift works in its fullest. Every worker has their own sandsail to work on, as usual, and they help out their colleagues if needed. And in the middle of this well oil-machine walks Orion followed by a group of people. He would normally be sleeping by this time of the day but today is how it seems really special enough to change his regime.

He doesn’t even wear his classic long coat but instead has something more casual so to speak. The loose tunic is of dark blue, almost black fabric with modest silver and golden details on it. One could say it almost looks like a night sky with stars. The sleeves are rolled up to show Orion’s heavy tattooed arms. However, his pants and boots are the same as ever. The belt with tools around his waist is making a soft jingle sound with his every step Orion takes.

The reason why the bat is out during the day isn’t the big repairs, his team can manage that no problem. No, said group is. Everyone in it looks nervous and excited at the same time. They are looking around, talking between themselves in low voices and pointing at whatever caught their attention. Not many people have the opportunity to really get to see the Bat-cave properly and even less have the privilege to have its owner as their guide.

That’s because it’s even rarer for someone to be a potential future co-worker of Noctis best mechanic and his team. However, the men and women following him around the workshop are. Every one of them is a mechanic hoping to be lucky and skilful enough to work here.

All of a sudden Orion stops and turns to face the group of five people of different background, skills, ages and experience.

Not many, if even someone, notice how they are towering over Pipistrello. Every single of them is taller than him. People rarely notice how short he really is, Orion’s personality is bending other’s perspective of him.

Orion is looking at every each of them with his critical eyes. Looking at them until they look away and then moves to another. He knows their professional backgrounds, read all their recommendations and resumes – just about everything he needs to know, he knows but he needs to test them himself. He won’t tolerate any lousy and lazy workers down here. Orion, his workshop and all his workers have the reputation and he would be damn if he destroys it somehow. Noctis got used to the new standard Orion brought with him pretty quickly when he became Chief Mechanic.

“Do all of you know why you are here?” Orion asks, his voice somehow louder than the noises coming from all around despite he doesn’t speak loudly. The group nods in unison and the choral of ‘yes’ follows. Orion swipes them with his dark eyes again. “I doubt it but ok,” he says in almost a whisper, shrugs and walks away.

The group confused by this action look between themselves.

“Aren’t you gonna give us some tasks or ask questions?” one of them speaks up.

Not even turning and still walking, Orion says, “Tasks are all around you and questions will come later. Now make yourself useful.”

Two from the group look around and head towards separate ‘sails with a senior mechanic working on it. Others quickly catch up and do the same. The next about half an hour is uneventful. Mechanics, old and new ones alike are working on the _wakas_ and their parts while Orion is walking through the workshop and overseeing everything.

A man with an undercut helping now with solar panels and electronic around them is too into his work he notices Orion’s eyes on him only moments later. Aware of the Chief’s presence now, his hands start sweating and he suddenly can’t screw that damn screw back. The mechanic who he helps pats him on the shoulder and takes the screwdriver from him to get the job done. The young man can feel the frown more than he can see it with the corner of his eye.

The next to inspect is a tall woman with a lean body and buzzcut. She’s laying under the front of the waka and adjusting the weight balancers there. The older mechanic is simply handling her the tools she’s asking for. Orion exchanges a quick look with his worker, Brian, who nods.

“Do you need anything, sir?” the woman asks.

“Not really. Just maybe – Where are you from? I don’t recognize your accent.”

“Faraway, Chief. That’s in Alliance, near the border with Aurora.”

“That town is known for its water mines. You worked on the machines around water, then? Always found them interesting.”

The woman slides from under the nose of the sandsail and sits up, her long legs crossed. “Yes. I’ve probably seen more water one could imagine there can be on Mars. Name’s Rory by the way,” she adds and wipes the sweat from her forehead.

“That I can believe you,” Orion says and walks away, towards his next ‘target’.

This man’s whole face lights up as soon as he sees that Chief heads his way. He’s quite broad but not as large as one would think with his build. His light hair is hidden under a fabric he has tied as pirates had in the stories from Earth.

“What’s your motivation for being here?” Orion asks with interested tone. Anyone who knows him knows this isn’t good.

However, that young man is oblivious to this fact and jumps right into it. “I always wanted to work with you.”

Pipistrello raises his eyebrows and as if relaxes. “Really?”

Feeling more confident the young man lights up even more, “Yes! You are the legend among—”

Suddenly, Orion’s expression changes into his usual unimpressed one. The man took the bait and it’s too late for him to go back, Chief got him exactly where he wanted. “Come back later when you have your priorities straight.”

“What?” he barks.

“You heard me,” Orion’s points towards the elevator, “You’re out.”

_"Te egy nagyobb seggfej vagy, mint hallottam."_

_"Fogalmad sincs_. _Benvenuto nella realtà_ and you don’t need to thank me by the way!” Orion says in a rapid fire of three different languages without any hesitation. As the young mechanic is angerly walking away, Dandolo makes his entrée. Pipistrello frowns deeply and points his finger on him, “What are _you_ doing here?!”

“I see everything is as ever down here,” Dandolo flash a challenging smile and everybody can see the imaginary wrench coming Prince’s way.

“ _Principe idiota_...” Pipistrello growls. “Now? I’m busy!”

“When are you not...”

Orion frowns but sighs in resignation, “Well then – we turn this into a test. Come here,” he doesn’t even need to address the group directly to get their attention at this point, they were watching the whole exchange that happened in the middle of the workshop. When again surrounded, Orion continues, “As you can see _nostro Doxe_ is coming here as he pleases.”

“Only because it always makes you so happy,” Dandolo can’t help himself.

“Shut up for a minute, will you be so kind?” Dandolo just smiles and makes a gesture that he locked his mouth. Some people from the group gasp in surprise over how Chief casually shut their Prince up and that he let him. Hear about this is one thing but to witness it… “You all better get used to him or to whoever will come after him. I won’t tolerate you stop working when he casually walks in or when any other ‘special’ things are happening around while you supposed to be working. _Capisci_?” The group nods. Orion points at one man, “You.”

“Han.”

“I don’t care about your name. What’s your opinion on the Prince?”

Han looks from Orion to Dandolo and back again. “ _Sior?_ ”

“He asked you something, _amici_.”

“With no offence…,” he looks back to Chief, “he kinda—”

“I don’t like ass-kissers, Han. True this time, please.” When no answer comes Orion adds, “I can sense Paon’s fan miles away.”

Dandolo chuckles and Orion sends him another unamused look.

“Yes,” Han looks down, not brave enough to meet their eyes, “I like him.”

“Hm, you were able to lie in front of Paon, that takes something. But tell me true next time I ask you something. It will spare us of all this.”

“Yes, Chief,” Han nods gingerly. All he wants to do now is curl into a small ball and be out.

While Orion is sending everybody back to work, Dandolo asks, “Should I go?”

“Yes please!” Pipistrello almost shouts but signs to him to come later. Then he runs his hand thru his hair and walks away.

Woman with dark skin and high and prominent cheekbones is working on a small part on one of the working benches nods her head to greed Orion when he approaches her, however, she still focuses on her work. Her hair is braided into many braids and then tied with a colourful scarf. Her clothes are the colour of Mars sand.

“What’s your name?”

“Thought you don’t care about them, Chief…”

“I see we have a smart-ass here,” Orion replies but there is no venom in it, maybe only a bit of sarcasm. “I’ve read all your files, all who are here today, and I don’t know how to pronounce your name.”

“It’s Jacqueline,” she says with a slight accent. “And thank you for asking, many just kinds of spit it and don’t care.”

Orion simply nods and walks away again.

The rest of the day is spent in a similar fashion, mechanics are working while Orion is randomly asking them questions and looking at how and what are they doing. They are not bad but not good either. Still better than the last group.

The Bat-cave is empty and silent again.

Though not doing much, today was tough and Orion is looking forward to relaxing. To be alone and just bury himself in some work. But maybe a cup of coffee and cuddling with Cass is more needed right now – he needs to unwind. With this image on his mind, Orion heads towards his small house further in the Bat-cave.

He kicks his boots off and the feel of the cold tiles against his feet is amazing. The part of the cave’s floor, around the elevator and Orion’s house, is covered with shattered tiles of various colours, creating interesting patterns. These are a gift from the Mutant Valley Orion received after he visited Noctis’s young sibling. Pipistrello spent about a week there, fixing various machines and helping local mechanics out in general.

The smug smile that appeared the moment he walked into the Bat-cave after his arrival home and saw the workshop on a brink of collapsing didn’t disappear for a week. He knows he’s important and this only harden him in this. Not that it has been for the first or the last time this happened.

Back in the present, already feeling better and with the petite smile on his lips, Orion looks at the hammock hanging outside his house. However, something catches his attention; it looks like it’s already occupied. By something large and heavy. His first thought is his hound.

“Cassiopea, it’s time to wake up.” No response, maybe she’s sleeping very deeply. However, when Orion gets closer, he sees his hound isn’t the one laying in the hammock and he sighs over the long legs peeking over the edge. “You know, I want to use it.”

Dandolo raises his head and with a smile pats the fabric, “There is enough space for both of us, _fradelo_.”

Being in the mood Orion is at this moment, he barks, “You are occupying all of it. It’s even too small for you!” He points at his long legs. The hammock is big enough for two people but that is not the point right now.

“There is enough space in my arms,” Prince wiggles his eyebrows.

Mechanic narrows his eyes, comes closer and unties one of the knots at the end nearer to him. Before Dandolo has a chance to react, his large body hits the ground with a loud thump.

Standing up and dusting off, Prince says, “You are no fun.”

“And you figured this only now, Paon?” He runs fingers through his curly hair. “Sorry, just tired…”

“You apologizing me for something means you are truly tired.”

“Stop complaining and take it, Paon,” Orion frowns at him.

Dandolo pretty early on noticed that Chief has many different ways he frowns. And of course, there is a special one only ever aimed at Dandolo himself and strangely enough – he is flattered. This frown creates nice furrow at his forehead and knits his eyebrows in a handsome way.

During the early days, when things between them only started to be less rocky, Dandolo couldn’t help himself and with a smile kissed Orion’s forehead while he was frowning at him. However, the moment his lips touched Orion’s skin, the other man literally froze and when Dandolo leaned back he was met with a panicked face. The poor soul stood there frozen for solid twenty seconds before he turned around and stormed as far as possible. Dandolo apologizes countless times and never did it again. Not without asking first.

Orion enters his house and starts making himself a cup of coffee. Then he goes to one of the pots with herbs, plucks few leaves and throws them into the second cup.

Dandolo leaning on the doorframe smiles. “Busy day?”

“Yes… Some young _idiota_ flew their ‘sail straight into a crater.”

“That doesn’t sound that bad—”

“And their caravan followed them.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sure you have the report waiting for you. Have you been here the whole time? Here,” Pipistrello hands him still steaming tea.

“ _Grassie,_ ” he takes the cup and uses it as a distraction to not answer the question right away. It smells so nice, his favourite. “Maybe…”

“Why aren’t you in the Palace?” No answer. Dandolo hides his face behind the cup. “Don’t tell me you and your ‘mancer had an argument again!”

“No…”

“So?”

“He’s out of Noctis and... the Palace is too quiet…”

“Shadow! He will come back to you, Paon. I thought we are over this. You are husbands for years!” Orion sighs tiredly.

Dandolo knits his eyebrows together in question. “We?”

“You, him. Me, the whole of Noctis.”

“I know he will come back.” Orion gives him a look and Dandolo adds, “I know he will. _Now_ I know. I just miss him…”

Be someone other than Orion here, they would hug Dandolo or at least pat his shoulder, however, there was only him. So, Chief simply says, “When he will come back you can take the ‘sail, have a nice trip, do whatever you two are into and everything will be _bòn_ again.”

“I can’t leave the city now…”

Orion sighs _again_. “Sometimes I wish you were as selfish as I thought you are.”

“Is that a compliment or an insult?”

Mechanic’s face stays completely neutral and before he takes a sip of his coffee he shrugs, “Why not both?”

Dandolo chuckles, raises his cup as in a toast and drinks the tea. Enjoying the warm drink, Prince looks around inside of Orion’s house. Space isn’t much used due to the owner is a workaholic but that doesn’t mean it isn’t filled with small things bringing it to life. Showing this is truly his home.

The walls are decorated with various designs. Most of them are countless variations of Noctians patterns, the Ocio the most prominent of them all. Dandolo can also recognize the mark of Orion’s family. His eyes travel down to seek the colourful doodles left on the wall by little Niesha so many years ago. It always warms his heart when he sees them.

Next to the door is a window and on its sill is a growing collection of various plants: gifts from Orion’s friends. It all started when Fran gave him a pot with herb and then it became something close to the tradition. Niesha once gave him a beautiful bonsai and the flower Dandolo gave him is on Orion’s most used workbench.

Prince’s eyes next land on the desk which is hidden under the sheets of paper. In the centre lays an open notebook. It’s one of many Orion uses for calculations, drawing or writing down ideas. Sometimes, though, you can find some shards from his personal thoughts, bits from letters for his sister or even some doodles. Basically, everything that’s on his mind at the current moment can be found inside.

Dandolo more than once witnessed how Orion opened one of his smaller notebooks and started unfolding sheets of paper until a big and detailed drawing of sandsail or other machinery was in front of him. His friend will never cease to impress him.

Now, however, Dandolo can see the corner of the drawing Melvin gifted to Orion peeking from the notebook. It’s a beautiful and colourful portrait of Noctis Chief Mechanic himself. Melvin worked on it for two days and was drawing it completely from his memory. He has such an eye for details and capturing the nature of whatever he draws.

Shadow, he really misses him.

“For how long he will be gone?” Dandolo tears his eyes from the drawing to look at Orion after this question. He’s confused – can Orion read minds now? “You sighed.”

“I can be sighing over many things,” Dandolo says defensively and again hides behind the cup.

“Yes, you can but not like you just did. So – for how long?”

“Three weeks. And he left yesterday.”

“Hm.”

“Don’t you ‘hm’ at me. What that even supposed to mean?”

“Just trying to figure out when you will grab the ‘sail and fly to him and for how long will you be bothering me.”

“I’m not that desperate…” Oh, but he is. Deep down he knows.

“Oh, clearly not, _me Doxe_ ,” Orion says with overly diplomatic voice and a smirk, “You’re just desperate enough to come here after not even a day. Not even your work can keep you occupied. Why aren’t you bothering Frances anyway?”

“It’s the nesting season.”

“Oh, I see. Nobody wants to be kicked by the ostrich guarding their nest.”

“I think people are more afraid of Fran’s metal leg,” Dandolo smirks.

“That’s what I was implying to,” Orion chuckles.

“Wrench to the face isn’t as big thread compare to that,” Dandolo can’t help himself and teases.

Orion raises his eyebrow in a challenge. “Want to test this theory, Paon?”

“No, I’m good.”

“The offer still stands whenever you change your mind,” Orion says with a smile but then yawns.

“Should I go so you can get some sleep?”

“No, I won’t be able to fall asleep anyway. Too much on my mind and I need to…” he rubs his fingers almost absently. He must be doing it for some time now. “I’ve not worked on nothing properly today.”

Dandolo noticed this characteristic of his friends only in recent years, though he is aware Orion has been like this since they know each other. And even longer before. Anytime Pipistrello isn’t working on something for some time, his hands get restless, fidgety. Orion once told him it’s like ich under his skin, but it isn’t obnoxious. More like the opposite, he welcomes it. He has it since he came back from the centre of the Labyrinth. Black-handed has a habit of marking individuals.

Orion thinks and looks around the room until his eyes land on the notebook. “We can work on Stormwind together when you’re here.”

“It would be my pleasure. But I would like to finish my tea first.” Orion nods. “And speaking of helping – who were the young mechanics? I thought you have enough workers.”

“Looking for some new blood,” Orion simply says before he yawns once again, “And before you comment – I won’t hire all of them. They will be lucky enough if I pick one from this group.”

“Why did you do this during the day?”

“I need to see them at their best conditions first and they will be part of the day shift anyway. No need to drag them here during the night.”

“But it disturbs your regime,” Dandolo can’t keep the worry from colouring his voice.

“Paon, you of all people talking here about sleeping habits is ridiculous. And I can take a few odd days, don’t you worry.”

“And aren’t you a bit too strict on them, _fradelo_?”

“If they can’t tolerate me at my worst, they don’t deserve me at my best.”

“Fair enough...”

“I can hear the ‘but’ coming. Out with it.”

“There was, but I know you better than to start something with you, Orion.”

“Doesn’t seem like that most of the time. I’m giving them a chance here, Paon. And I think the whole of Noctis knows what are they getting themselves into. Knows who I am by now.”

“And still they are eager to work here, with you.”

“Exactly,” Orion says and takes the empty cup from Dandolo. After he puts in on the small counter he heads towards the door. “ _Andiamo._ ”

Before Dandolo turns to follow him, Chief is already half-way towards one of the side caves. In some of them, Dandolo has never been and some he knows, like the one into which they are heading now.

Suddenly, Orion stops before the entrance covered by the curtain and says, “And I’m also looking for the successor.”

Dandolo stops dead in his track and looks at his friend in shock. “You can’t be serious—” he doesn’t have the chance to finish because Orion vanishes behind the curtain. He quickly follows him and when inside he demands, “ _Orion!_ ”

Orion turns to face him, “Don’t be like that. You won’t get rid of me that easily, Paon. But it’s nice to have a backup system already running. I’m not getting younger and nor you do,” he points at the greys in Dandolo’s hair.

Hearing all this hurts, he hates losing people. “But still, you have many seasons ahead of you.”

“And it will take years to train whoever I choose.”

“Aren’t you forgetting that Council has something to say into this matter, too?” Dandolo teases more than anything, Orion seems adamant in this. He must give him that.

“No, I am not.”

“Will you enlighten me on how you want to do this?”

“Don’t be curious, _me Doxe_. I have my ways and you may or not find out when the time will come.”

Dandolo scratches his chin, thinking. “Your word alone can be enough but as you said – is good to have a back-up plan up and running.”

“I’m listening…” Orion crosses his hands over his chest and waits.

“You know at least three influential members of the Council.”

“Three?”

“Equanimity, the tattoo master. Fran, the Guard’s Chief and me.”

“Oh, you think you are a big animal or something, _me Doxe_?” Orion chuckles.

“A little bit, yes. There is a few who listens to me,” Dandolo joins Orion’s chuckle. “Though I thought you will protest on the ‘know well’ part.”

“Over the years, I… come to accept our partnership.”

 _Te amo anch'io_ , Pipi.”

Orion simply smiles genially to than and that’s enough for Dandolo.

“But don’t worry – I’m planning to outlive you. So, you won’t need to be part of such voting.”

“I can see that. Stubbornly not dying so you can have the last word.”

“Look at that! You do know me!” This time Orion laughs fully.

With the corner of his eye, Dandolo registers a movement. Something big previously laying on the fabric on the ground has woke up and is standing up. Cassiopea opens her mouth in a yawn and stretches her huge body and long limbs.

“Ah, there you are, _mia ragazza_ ,” Orion bends down to pet his hound. Cassiopea licks his hand and makes happy noise deep in her throat.

Dandolo takes this calm opportunity to look around the cave. It’s smaller than the main cavern but still big enough to accommodate a full-size sandsail, spare parts and materials, desk and a workbench.

The ‘sail himself is Dandolo’s and Orion’s secret project they are working on for years now. The mechanic is constantly coming with endless upgrades for Noctian transportation and have some few other prototypes. He comes with the idea, calculates it, makes it, tests it and if it’s good enough uses in normally used sandsails. There is one Noctian saying – ‘As Dandolo reforms the way how Noctis works, Pipistrello reforms how the city moves.’

But this one is special. In so many ways. Everything about him is new. Yes, it started as a modified _waka_ , but they gradually change every part of him for a brand new, made only for him at first. The fact it’s ‘him’ is unique, too. The habit to call vehicles by female form is as long as humankind remembers. However, there are exceptions and Stormwind is one of them.

This ‘sail is specifically built to be able to use him in the worst condition one can fly a _waka_ – storm.

Pilots know the risk and many respects the ban to fly in one if it can be avoided. However, some don’t, many of those lost their lives to their arrogance. Dandolo is one of those idiots and he lived to tell the story, to write his own and was stupid or brave enough, depends on who you ask, to do it repeatedly.

One day, the Chief mechanic had enough of it and started coming up with what later became to be Stormwind. However, he won’t ever admit it was because he cares about his idiotic friend and wants for him to come back safe whenever he decides to ride with the storm again. He told Dandolo about this project when he needed to test it and like it or not, their Prince was his only option. It was one of the happiest days in Dandolo’s life and it had to be a ‘total accident’ it was on his birthday…

Since then, both of them are coming with new and new upgrades and ideas. Most of them are lately re-used in the normal _wakas_. Stormwind already saved several lives.

“Any particular plans for today with our child?” Dandolo asks and pets Cass when she comes closer to him. It’s starting to show how old she is, her plates are getting bigger and heavier.

“I was thinking about his balance. Was it good when loaded?”

“Fairly, but yes – there is some room for improvement. I was thinking move the weight a bit closer to the nose.”

“Or spread it,” Orion says, already holding Stormwind’s blueprints. “Now where did I…” he starts looking around until his eyes stop on something on the shelf. He grabs the stool and stands on it for better access.

“Do you want my help?” Dandolo knows he will refuse but he asks anyway, it’s only decency. He also uses the opportunity of Orion being turn around to give Cassiopea some dried fungus. The hound eats it fast and chatters happily.

“ _No, grazie_.”

As Orion is reaching up, his sleeve rolls further down and Dandolo’s eyes almost automatically land on the one particular tattoo on his upper arm. It normally isn’t visible, obscured by the sleeve and by other tattoos. But Dandolo can see it. The little peacock with its beautiful feathers spread to show its eyes is very well hidden and at the same time complimented by patterns surrounding it. Many of Orion’s ink is like that: the lines that seem to have no pattern to them, but still beautiful on their own, suddenly make sense when you see the bigger picture.

You need to get them to know better to understand them, to appreciate them; just like with their owner.

Dandolo has no idea for how long his friend has this little memento, he only noticed it three years ago. However, he remembers the tattoos around it are older, the whole pattern is older. Paon hasn’t mentioned anything but Orion surely has noticed him staring.  Orion willingly marked his body with the personification of Dandolo. This shows how dear he is to this man, that over all the teasing and bickering he does care.

It’s both private and on the plain sight.

It’s similar as with the drawing he keeps in the notebook he is currently using. Same as with the silly doodles Niesha made and he keeps them untouched. Same as with the plants he takes care of, even talking to them sometimes. Same as with helping Fran with their prosthesis. Same as with letting Amelia use his workshop if needed despite saying otherwise years ago. Same as with him smiling and laughing more around the ones who are close to him, to let the small casual touch slide without freaking out as before. Or as with Dandolo’s friendly and (mostly) harmless flirtation being accepted. Same as with…

These all are ways how Orion shows that he cares, that he loves and that you are dear to him even if he doesn’t say it out loud.

“Shall we begin, Paon?” Pipistrello asks, again facing Dandolo and holding some kind of measuring device.

“ _S_ _ì!_ ”

**Author's Note:**

>  _Te egy nagyobb seggfej vagy, mint hallottam_ \- You're a bigger asshole than I heard  
>  _Fogalmad sincs_ \- You have no idea  
>  _Benvenuto nella realtà_ \- Welcome to the reality  
>  _Andiamo_ \- Let's go  
>  _Te amo anch'io_ \- I love you too  
> Special thanks to Wahl, for everything ;*


End file.
